Daily Comment on News and Issues of Interest to Michigan Lawyers

07/21/2012

Federal Lawsuit Against Cooley Law School Dismissed

Judge Gordon Quist has tossed out the lawsuit brought by 12 Cooley Law grads who claimed they decided to attend Cooley based on misleading postgraduate employment data. According to a WSJ report, Quist dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that purchasing a legal degree is not protected by the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, but that even if it were, Cooley's employment representations were “literally true” and the plaintiffs "unreasonably relied" on them in their law school decision.

Don LeDuc, Cooley's president and dean, said, "We’re obviously pleased with this decision. We are committed to graduating law students who are ready to practice law, and their success in a tough job market is our success too. We have always been in compliance with American Bar Association and National Association for Law Placement employment reporting standards."

Meanwhile, "dueling lawsuits" on the questions of whether the lawyers who brought the now-dismissed lawsuit defamed the school, and whether the school defamed them, continue. A separate defamation lawsuit brought by Cooley against four anonymous bloggers also continues.

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Federal Lawsuit Against Cooley Law School Dismissed

Judge Gordon Quist has tossed out the lawsuit brought by 12 Cooley Law grads who claimed they decided to attend Cooley based on misleading postgraduate employment data. According to a WSJ report, Quist dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that purchasing a legal degree is not protected by the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, but that even if it were, Cooley's employment representations were “literally true” and the plaintiffs "unreasonably relied" on them in their law school decision.

Don LeDuc, Cooley's president and dean, said, "We’re obviously pleased with this decision. We are committed to graduating law students who are ready to practice law, and their success in a tough job market is our success too. We have always been in compliance with American Bar Association and National Association for Law Placement employment reporting standards."

Meanwhile, "dueling lawsuits" on the questions of whether the lawyers who brought the now-dismissed lawsuit defamed the school, and whether the school defamed them, continue. A separate defamation lawsuit brought by Cooley against four anonymous bloggers also continues.